German Populist Far-Right Gains Amid Refugee Wave

[Purveyor]

Berlin (AFP) - Almost declared dead only months ago, Germany's populist far-right is seeking a comeback amid a record wave of asylum-seekers, hoping to anchor itself in mainstream politics.

As Chancellor Angela Merkel has opened the doors to unprecedented numbers of refugees, she initially earned popular support but also quickly faced xenophobic hecklers who angrily branded her a "traitor" and worse.

Anti-foreigner fury has flared most visibly at rallies of the resurgent PEGIDA movement, short for "Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamisation of the Occident".

"Merkel is guilty, commits ethnocide against the German people," read a banner at last week's protest in Dresden, Saxony state, in the former communist East where PEGIDA emerged one year ago next week.

Waving flags, the agitated crowd of about 9,000 cheered co-founder Lutz Bachmann, 42, who was charged recently with inciting racial hatred by labelling migrants "animals", "trash" and "filthy rabble" on social media.

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http://news.yahoo.com/german-populist-far-gains-amid-refugee-wave-115040558.html

[MineralMan]

1. Populism works both ways, and always has.

Hit the issues that affect people strongly and you're a populist.

That's why I never use the word as a solid positive noun. Too many populists in history have turned out to be bad actors. Sometimes, bad actors become populists, too. Sometimes they win.

Populism is a strategy, not a political philosophy.

[YoungDemCA]

3. "Populism is a strategy, not a political philosophy"

Well said.

[MineralMan]

8. Thanks.

Hitler and Mussolini were populists. They gained popular support by playing on people's prejudices and fear.

[mwrguy]

2. Too late, nazis

You will be wiped out by a demographic tidal wave and someday the average German will have brown skin

[msongs]

4. too late, native americans... any similarities there? nt

[Lizzie Poppet]

7. /mic drop

[moondust]

5. Maybe they have a tRump

who promises to deport them all.

[LittleBlue]

6. Who didn't see this coming?

Prosecuting dissenters might not work this time.

[MisterP]

9. the real danger is when they realize 97% of Germany isn't behind them

and then turn on these "traitors" to themselves